School Dress Code

1. School Dress Code Canady v. Bossier Parish School District

2. Dress Code • School Board implemented a dress code for 17 of the 34 schools in the district. • Reason was to reduce violence and improve testing scores and data would be collected. • Both objectives were achieved and the board decided to implement the dress code policy to all 34 schools. • Plaintiffs, group of parents, argued that the policy limited freedom of expression, does not improve learning, are expensive and violate religious rights.

3. Dress Code • District court upheld the boards’ policy. • Plaintiffs appealed and the State Supreme Court of LA upheld the lower court’s decision. • Reasons for upholding the policy: • Sometimes school boards’ regulation of student behavior outweighs individual students’ rights to free speech.

4. Relevant Cases on Freedom of Speech • Tinker v. Des Moines – free speech, not directly related to school dress • Bethel School District v. Fraser – lewd metaphors during a political speech in a school assembly • Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier - students censored in the school paper for writing objectionable stories

5. How to Prevent Problems • Collect data on student achievement before and after the policy was instituted. • Have full support of the Board. • Look at relevant cases and make sure you have a leg to stand on. • Always assume there will be a plaintiff in a free speech policy.